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If you’ve spent any time in an RV, you know that RV refrigerators are temperamental at best and unreliable at worst. They take forever to cool, don’t always stay cold, and can fail spectacularly when you least expect it.
Ours gave out in dramatic fashion, filling the RV with the eye-watering, chemical stench of ammonia. a smell that, unless you own a Godzilla-sized cat with a bladder problem, is an instant red flag.
That kicked off the decision to replace our Norcold RV fridge with a residential refrigerator. If you’re thinking about making the same switch, here’s what we learned.
Why We Ditched Our RV Fridge
Our RV came with a Norcold 1200, and while it technically worked, it was never great. Food stayed “cold enough” but never ice-cold, and frozen foods were sometimes more slush than solid.
Still, we lived with it for three years, until one night, while watching Gold Rush, we noticed the unmistakable smell of pure ammonia. If you’ve never had the pleasure, it’s like getting punched in the face by a chemical spill wrapped in regret.
The cooling unit had failed, and we were left with two options:
- Replace the cooling unit or buy another RV fridge (expensive and still not great)
- Upgrade to a full-sized residential refrigerator (cheaper and way better)
We chose the residential fridge for one simple reason: we wanted our food to actually stay cold.
Pros and Cons of Switching to a Residential Refrigerator in an RV
If you’re thinking about upgrading, here’s what to consider.
The Good
- Better cooling performance. Food stays reliably cold, and frozen food actually stays frozen.
- More space. Residential fridges hold way more than an RV fridge. We can finally buy a full-size frozen pizza.
- Runs quietly. No weird clicks, burps, or propane ignition noises at night.
- Uses standard power. No propane, no weird wiring, just plug it in and go.
- Magnets work. It seems silly, but we missed being able to slap notes, photos, and a grocery list onto the fridge.
The Trade-Offs
- No propane option. If you boondock often, you’ll need a power setup that can handle a fridge running on electricity 24/7.
- More power draw. A residential fridge uses more electricity than an RV fridge, so solar, a larger battery bank, or a generator is a must if you’re off-grid.
- Size and installation. You might have to remove a window or door to fit it inside.
For us, the benefits far outweighed the downsides, but if you boondock without a solid solar setup, a residential fridge might not be the best choice.
How We Installed a Residential Fridge in Our RV
Switching to a residential fridge isn’t just a plug-and-play swap. Especially if you live in a motorhome and not a fifth wheel. Here’s how we did it.
1. Measuring the Space and Finding the Right Fridge
RV refrigerators are not the same size as standard home refrigerators, so measuring was step one.
- Our Norcold was 32 inches wide and 64 inches high, and the cabinet opening wasn’t much bigger.
- After a lot of research, we found the Samsung RF-18. One of the few residential refrigerators that fit our space without major modifications.
- We checked Best Buy first, but they were out of stock. Lowe’s had it $100 cheaper and could deliver the next morning.
2. Removing the Old RV Fridge
Getting the Norcold out was a nightmare.
- The fridge was too wide to fit through the RV door.
- After several episodes of ammonia leakage and us running outside for fresh air, we dismantled it piece by piece to fit it out the door.
- Bless our friend John, who brought extra muscle and moral support.
At this point, we had a gaping hole where our fridge used to be, a lingering ammonia smell, and a fresh delivery scheduled for the next morning.
3. Getting the New Fridge Into the RV (Through a Window)
You’d think after removing the old fridge, getting the new one in would be easy. You’d be wrong.
- The RV door was too small for the Samsung fridge to fit through.
- That left us with one option: removing a window and shoving it through.
- With a drill, a ladder, and a hair dryer, we popped out the kitchen window.
- A few strong friends helped us get the new fridge through the opening.
This was also the point where nosy RV park neighbors started circling like vultures, offering unhelpful commentary. Get a hobby, people.
4. Securing and Powering the Fridge
With the fridge inside, we:
- Confirmed that our inverter and battery bank could handle the extra power draw while off-grid.
- Slid it into place and secured it to prevent movement while driving.
- Plugged it into our dedicated 110V outlet and ran a power test.
How the Residential Fridge Has Worked So Far
We’ve had the Samsung RF-18 for a while now, and honestly, we couldn’t be happier.
- Way more storage. It actually fits a week’s worth of groceries without playing Tetris.
- Colder temps. No more worrying if the milk is “cold enough.”
- Built-in ice maker. A small luxury we didn’t think we’d love so much.
- Power hasn’t been an issue. Our battery bank and inverter handle it fine, and it runs flawlessly on shore power.
The only downside? It dented our beer budget, but some sacrifices must be made.
Is a Residential Fridge Right for Your RV?
A residential fridge isn’t the right choice for everyone, but for us, it was a massive upgrade.
We don’t miss playing the “is this actually cold?” guessing game, and we definitely don’t miss the smell of ammonia creeping in at the worst possible time.
If you’re tired of an underperforming RV fridge and have the power setup to handle it, making the switch is worth considering. Just be prepared for some creative problem-solving. Like removing a window to get the thing inside.
Whatever you decide, make sure it involves cold beer and an ice cream stash that actually stays frozen.
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